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Virkkunen Says EU Digital Laws Protect Rights

By  |  September 10, 2025

The European Union’s top digital official, Henna Virkkunen, defended the bloc’s sweeping tech rules on Monday, stressing that they safeguard fundamental rights, including freedom of expression. In a post on X sharing a letter addressed to the US Congress, Virkkunen reaffirmed her commitment to enforcing the regulations, saying, “I will keep enforcing them, for our kids, citizens and businesses.”

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    According to a statement from Virkkunen, the EU’s landmark Digital Services Act (DSA) and Digital Markets Act (DMA) apply only within the Union and have no legal reach in the United States. The DSA requires major platforms to curb illegal and harmful online content, while the DMA targets anti-competitive practices by dominant tech companies. Per her statement, these measures are designed to protect citizens from fraud, scams, and manipulation campaigns that threaten democratic processes, not to stifle speech.

    Read more: EU Cracks Down on Temu Over Illegal Product Listings

    The comments followed renewed criticism from former President Donald Trump, who threatened last week to impose tariffs on countries pursuing digital taxes or regulations he argued were aimed at American technology companies. Tech industry leaders, including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, have also claimed the EU’s rules amount to censorship. Virkkunen rejected those allegations, underscoring that the framework is grounded in democratic values and equal treatment for all businesses.

    The European Commission has previously said the regulations represent the EU’s sovereign right to oversee economic activity. It denied Trump’s assertion that US firms are being singled out, pointing out that the rules apply across the board. At a joint press conference, French President Emmanuel Macron reinforced this position, stating that taxation and regulation fall under the remit of national parliaments and the European Parliament. He warned that any attempts by Washington to undermine these rules would be met with retaliation under the EU’s anti-coercion mechanism.

    Virkkunen also took issue with the US Congress for inviting her predecessor, Thierry Breton, to testify before lawmakers.

    Source: RFI